Flexible Picture Frame

ABSTRACT

The instant application discloses, among other things, a Flexible Picture Frame which may comprise a frame portion made of a flexible material, for example, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam, which is commonly known as “craft foam” or “fun foam.” The frame portion may have a viewing window cut in the shape of a rectangle, a circle, or any other shape. A glazing panel may sit behind the viewing window to protect the user&#39;s photograph from damage. The glazing panel may be made of any flexible material that is at least partially transparent, translucent, or sheer. The Flexible Picture Frame may have a backing mat comprised of the same flexible material as the frame. It may also include a fastening mechanism such as Velcro, for example, to attach the frame to the backing mat and enclose the glazing panel and photograph.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to a Flexible Picture Frame.

BACKGROUND

Many young children delight in looking at photos of their loved ones, such as parents or grandparents. They also learn by touching and holding objects. It is common, however, for children to wrinkle or tear photographs that they get a hold of, often because of unrefined motor skills or lack of self control. Even when the photo is secured in a traditional picture frame, kids are likely to damage the picture, the frame, or both. Children are often also at risk of getting injured because traditional picture frames are typically made of rigid materials such as wood, metal, or glass.

SUMMARY

The instant application discloses, among other things, a Flexible Picture Frame, which may comprise two sheets of flexible material, for example, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam, which is commonly known as “craft foam” or “fun foam.” In one embodiment, the first sheet may have a cut-out of a shape, for example, a rectangle, to create a framing portion with a viewing window. The first sheet may be attached to the second sheet by a hook and loop fastener such as Velcro®, glue, or plastic rivets, for example, or any other fastening means. In another embodiment, one sheet of fun foam may be partially sliced along a plane of the sheet to allow a picture to be slide in, and may have a viewing window cut from one surface to the slice. A picture may indicate a photograph, a drawing, or any other item to display in a Flexible Picture Frame. The Flexible Picture Frame may also comprise a glazing panel located behind the viewing window of the framing portion. The glazing panel may function to protect the user's image from damage and may be made of a clear flexible plastic, or any other flexible material. A person having skill in the art will recognize that the Flexible Picture Frame may be comprised of various materials and may also be made in different shapes, sizes and colors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a frontal view of the Foam Picture Frame according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of Flexible Picture Frame.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the Foam Picture Frame according to the one embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates the back side the Foam Picture Frame according to the one embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates the fastening means on the back side of the framing portion when Foam Picture Frame in its open, unsecured position.

FIG. 6 illustrates the fastening means on the front side of the backing mat when Foam Picture Frame is in its open, unsecured position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A more particular description of certain embodiments of Smart Tiles may be had by references to the embodiments shown in the drawings that form a part of this specification, in which like numerals represent like objects.

FIG. 1 illustrates a frontal view of the Foam Picture Frame 100 according to one embodiment. In this example, the present invention may comprise an outwardly facing Framing Portion 110, which may be in the shape of a rectangle, oval, star, cloud, or any other shape. Framing Portion 100 may be made of a flexible material such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam, which is commonly known in the marketplace as “craft foam” or “fun foam.” In one embodiment, Framing Portion 100 may have a cut-out of any shape such as a rectangle, oval, star, or cloud, for example, to create a Viewing Window 120, which may allow a person to view an image, such as a photograph, which the user has placed within the Foam Picture Frame 100.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of Flexible Picture Frame 600. In this embodiment, Flexible Picture Frame 200 may have two Viewing Windows 220, 230 in the shapes of stars rather than one larger rectangle. One having skill in the art will recognize that multiple images or other items to be displayed may be framed by cutting out various shapes from Framing Portion 210.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the Foam Picture Frame 100 according to one embodiment. The back side of Framing Portion 110 may couple to the front side of Backing Mat 310 by any fastening means, for example, a hook and loop fastener such as Velcro, so as to enclose or “sandwich” the Glazing Panel 320 and the user's photo within the Foam Picture Frame 100. Glazing Panel 320 may be located behind the viewing window of Framing Portion 110 and in front of the user's photo. Glazing Panel 320 may function to protect the user's photo from damage from UV rays, moisture, dirt, heat, or to reduce or eliminate glare, for example. Glazing Panel 320 may be at least partially transparent, translucent, or sheer, and may be made of any flexible material such as plastic, rubber, vinyl, wax, nylon, silk, or rayon.

Baking Mat 310 and Framing Portion 110 may be made from one piece of fun foam each, for example, which may allow infants to play with Flexible Picture Frame 100 without getting hurt or damaging Flexible Picture Frame 100.

FIG. 4 illustrates the back side the Foam Picture Frame according to the one embodiment. It may comprise Backing Mat 310, which may be made of any flexible material such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam. In another embodiment, not shown, Backing Mat 210 may comprise a picture frame stand or hanging device, or any fastening means for such a picture frame stand or hanging device.

FIG. 5 illustrates the Fastening Means 510 on the back side of Framing Portion 110 when Foam Picture Frame 100 is in its open, unsecured position. In this example, Fastening Means 510 is located along the perimeter of the back, inward-facing side of Framing Portion 110. Fastening Means 510 may comprise strips of a hook and loop fastener such as Velcro, interlocking fasteners, snaps, buttons, zippers, magnets, adhesives, for example. Fastening Means 510 may allow Framing Portion 110 to fixedly attach to Backing Mat 310 so as to enclose Glazing Panel 320 and the user's image.

FIG. 6 illustrates Fastening Means 510 on the front, inward-facing side of Backing Mat 310 when Foam Picture Frame 100 is in its open, unsecured position. Fastening Means 510 may comprise strips of a hook and loop fastener such as Velcro, interlocking fasteners, snaps, buttons, zippers, magnets, adhesives, or any other attachment means. The placement of Fastening Means 510 along the inward-facing perimeter of Backing Mat 210 may create a raised boundary that restricts movement of Glazing Panel 320 and protects the user's image within Flexible Picture Frame 100. In another embodiment, Glazing Panel 220 may extend under Fastening Means 510, which may hold glazing panel in place. For example, glazing panel may extend one-quarter inch under an adhesive for a hook and loop fastener, providing sufficient strength to hold the hook and loop fastener to the Glazing Panel 320 and to Flexible Picture Frame 100.

In another embodiment, Flexible Picture Frame may have a Framing Portion on both a front and a back of a Backing Mat, allowing the display of multiple items on both a front and back of the Flexible Picture Frame.

In yet another embodiment, two Framing Portions may be placed back to back, with parts of the Framing Portions or parts of items displayed holding in other items.

One having skill in the art will recognize that many different designs of Flexible Picture Frame 100 may fall within the spirit and scope of this disclosure, including, for example, various materials, colors, sizes, and shapes.

While the detailed description above has been expressed in terms of specific examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many other configurations could be used. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that various equivalent modifications of the above-described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Additionally, the illustrated operations in the description may show certain events occurring in a certain order. In alternative embodiments, certain operations may be performed in a different order, modified or removed. Moreover, steps may be added to the above described logic and still conform to the described embodiments. Further, operations described herein may occur sequentially or certain operations may be processed in parallel.

The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. The above specification, examples and data may not provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. 

1. A flexible picture frame, comprising: a framing portion, the framing portion made of a flexible material, having a front side and a back side; a glazing panel, the glazing panel comprising a sheet of a transparent or translucent flexible material; a backing mat, the backing mat made of a flexible material, having a front side and a back side; and a fastening means capable of enclosing the glazing panel by fixedly attaching the back side of the framing portion to the front side of the backing mat.
 2. The flexible picture frame of claim 1 wherein the framing portion comprises Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam.
 3. The flexible picture frame of claim 1 wherein the glazing panel is made of one or more materials selected from the group containing plastic, vinyl, rubber, wax, nylon, silk, or rayon.
 4. The flexible picture frame of claim 1 wherein the glazing panel comprises material designed to provide control against UV rays, moisture, reflection or glare, dirt, or heat.
 5. The flexible picture frame of claim 1 wherein the backing mat comprises Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam.
 6. The flexible picture frame of claim 1 wherein the backing mat comprises a frame stand or hanging device, or fastening means for a frame stand or hanging device.
 7. The flexible picture frame of claim 1 wherein the fastening means is selected from the group containing hook and loop fasteners, interlocking fasteners, snaps, buttons, zippers, magnets, and adhesives. 